Shooting Stars
by Lady Monroe
Summary: When Natsume was a kid his mom told him that wishing on a shooting star would make his wish come true but he stopped believing her just after his first try.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice, I am merely a fan that adores the beautiful work of Higuichi Tachibana.

**Shooting Stars**

When Natsume was a kid his mom told him that wishing on a shooting star would make his wish come true but he stopped believing her just after his first try.

…

_Natsume jerked up from this bed. He was sweating_; his forehead was creased and his _breathing_ was _heavy_. He had the heel of his palms rub his eyes as he shifted his legs under the sheets. He looked around; he was in his room. Even with his heavy breathing, he released a bottled up breath and covered his face with his hands. He groaned.

It was that dream again.

It had been years since that and yet the memory was still as vivid as daylight. Natsume pulled his hands away and glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table.

3:05 am

With his breath evened out, Natsume fell back on his bed. Cold wind clashed with his back until his skin came in contact with the bed sheet. With his eyes closed, he tried to go back to sleep.

There was a flash of white light, splats of red scattered all over—

Natsume opened his eyes. He rested his left arm over his forehead and stared up the ceiling. He knew he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, beads of cold sweat travelled down his face. He swung his legs to the side of the bed and his feet collided with the cold floor.

He pushed himself out of bed and walked to the bathroom.

-0-

Natsume looked down at the sink, water carefully dripping off from his face. The cold water felt like a cold slap on his face instead of the feel of refreshment he needed.

With arms supporting his upper body weight, Natsume leaned on the sink and stared at his reflection in the mirror. Crimson met crimson. He blinked.

That dream was still bothering him.

He glanced at the window, just beside the mirror. He stared at the heavy downpour outside. There was a storm; lightning and thunder rolled in, correction, a thunder storm. He frowned; he didn't notice the weather from when he woke up. He grabbed for a towel not far from his reach and returned back to the bedroom patting his face dry in the process.

Uneasily pushing the curtains back, Natsume looked out side his window. Though the view was ostensibly dark he could still make out the silhouette of falling raindrops, flying leaves and swaying tree branches outside. There was lightning, and then thunder came after. The weather isn't stopping anytime soon, that's for sure. Probably school would be cancelled due to the bad weather condition too.

As he quietly looked out the window, he heard a faint ringing. It was his phone. His eyebrows furrowed, who could be calling him at this time in the morning. His eyes widened. He swiftly reached for his phone by his nightstand, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Mikan?" his voice sounded worried.

His assumption was correct. Judging by the sniffles he heard on the other line it was definitely her. He mentally slapped himself for forgetting that she was the very first person afraid of thunderstorms. Lightning and thunder. He heard her whimper. There was shuffling and more sniffles.

"Mikan" he called her name again.

He just heard more sniffles and shuffling. There was another round of lightning and thunder. He heard her cry. That's it. He quickly grabbed a shirt from his wardrobe and a hoodie on his bed.

Shortly after he slipped on his shirt, "Mikan, I'm coming over, I'll be there by—" before he could finish she cut him off.

"_No Natsume!" _her voice was shaking. He stopped dead on his tracks. His phone pressed to his ear. The grip on his hoodie tightened.

He waited for her to continue.

"_I just wanted to hear, if you were okay"_ there was a sharp intake of breath as another round of lightning and thunder rolled in.

Natsume grunted.

She was checking up on him, while she was traumatized over the weather condition. This girl is crazy. Always putting others first before her self. Is there not a selfish bone in her body to make her at least, more human?

"You called to check up on me" he repeated disbelievingly, as he shook his head. "I'm coming to see you—" he was cut off again.

"_No Natsume!" _she shouted shakily and hiccupped afterwards. She got him more worried now. How long has she been crying. _"The weather is bad, I can't let you drive over" _he heard her take a breath_ "It's dangerous"_

He pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew this would happen. The moment he agreed not to stay in the academy dormitories, he knew he wouldn't be able to look after her like he did before. The drive from the mansion to the academy was a good forty-five minute ride and with this weather; the possibility of him getting into an accident was big. He knew that, she knew that. Although coming to her aid was more important him, his safety was her priority.

"Mikan," he was pleading her "I just can't stand here and listen to you cry…" he was exasperated; he needed to get to her.

He heard her sigh from the other line. _"I shouldn't have called"_ his body stiffened. He shook his head, why would she be regretting to call him, when he's the only person that can comfort her in times like these. The idea of her calling someone other than him was ludicrous. There was the fact that she could call Imai, but she now mostly calls him and him alone every time this happens.

"Don't say that" he sounded hurt and helpless at the same time.

Looking out the window, the weather was growing wilder. This was not good. Not only was the distance taking them away from each other, the weather was taking part too. He didn't like it, not one bit.

He heard her sob on the other line. He held onto his phone for dear life, desperately wanting to go to her. He was still standing on his spot still not moving. Not until she gives him the go signal. He listened carefully for any other sounds and true enough, the heavy downpour of the rain and the strong wind accompanied the sobbing sounds of Mikan, _his _Mikan.

He wanted to go, but he knew he couldn't defy her wishes so easily. There was silence between them, something both found quite comforting.

"_Natsume" _his breath hitch. She always had this effect on him. Every time she says his name. _"Don't come here, please, please" _she wasn't shaking anymore. At least she calmed down.

That was it.

He let out a sigh and threw his hoodie none too gently on the couch next to him. "I'm moving back to the academy dorm next semester" he concluded and walked back to his bed.

He knew she had that warm smile on his face after he said that. He smiled to himself too. She may have won this battle, but he'll surely win next time. He'll definitely move back in the academy. Being with his dad and sister was great but being away from her was something he couldn't live with. Surprising, even for him, since being with his family was what he wanted ever since he got into the academy.

"It's your fault you know, why I'm living here now" he accused her but he was being playful.

He knew she was pouting. At least he got her mind off the thunderstorm outside. _"You haven't been with your family since the age of seven, shouldn't you be thankful I convinced you to stay with them to make up for lost time"_ she sounded pissed.

It was true. Ever since that incident, he decided to stay in the academy. He never bothered to contact them. He rarely showed up to his family, he never went home for Christmas, summer vacation; spring break. He was as if trying to erase the mere fact that he still existed.

At school, he was distant and cold to everyone. He preferred to be alone. He didn't want anyone coming near him, with the exception of Ruka, his best friend, of course. Though he had Ruka with him at the time, he insisted that Ruka should hang out with other people instead of him. Natsume preferred to be alone.

Until, she came along.

She was persistent, stubborn, loud and irritating. But somehow Natsume never found the strength to push her away. Weird enough he grew fond of her warmth, her company, her friendship, her smile and eventually her love. The walls Natsume built around himself. She effortlessly tore it down and pulled him out of the ruins. She changed everything he came into terms with. Sometimes Natsume would catch himself smiling as he keeps his eyes on her. Little by little, he was starting a new life with that same girl. Mikan Sakura.

He chuckled. "You just want to get rid of me because you can't keep on showing me your underwear every week…let me guess, polka dots again?" That did it. That remark she often hated. He smirked.

"_You are such a pervert!"_ she shouted on the other line. He loves it every time he gets to her.

He chuckled again. Indirectly spiking her anger even more. He couldn't help it. Teasing Mikan was one of the things he enjoy doing since they were ten. "Idiot, keep your voice down," he glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand "you'll wake up everyone in the dorm" he smiled.

It's true, though. Mikan's voice once woke everyone staying in the dorm's first floor because she shouted at Natsume for sneaking into her room at exactly three o'clock in the morning. He chuckled at the thought. He heard her 'hump' and turn quiet.

Silence fell upon them.

There was the clear sound of the thunderstorm out side and the havoc it was creating. Natsume sat back on his bed and pressed the phone more to his ear, if it was even possible. He listened to her steady breathing. He closed his eyes and leaned forward resting his arms on his knees.

The sound of the storm outside and the steady breathing of Mikan from the other line was enough to calm the uneasiness he felt from when he woke up. He felt peaceful.

"_You're tired"_ she quietly stated after a while.

He didn't answer. She obviously knows the reason why. Since that time he snuck into Mikan's room, he told her about that dream he kept on having. Obviously, he couldn't keep anything from her. He nodded his head, seemingly forgetting that she wasn't in the room.

"I'll be fine" he retorted back rather lowly.

He was tired. Sleeping late at night and waking up in the wee hours in the morning was something he never quite got used to. Ever since the distance between him and Mikan, his nightmares kept on slinking up on him most of the time. He seldom got a good night's sleep since then.

So now, the need for sleep was creeping over him, but he still wanted to stay on the phone with her. Due to the fact that school would be cancelled, he won't be able to see her in a few days time. Phone calls were their only means of communication with this damned weather. Thanks a lot.

He growled.

Mikan knew what that meant. _"I miss you"_. There was a hint of sadness behind it. He knew that she was completely aware of the situation. They won't be seeing each other anytime soon. She wanted to see him as bad as he wanted to hold her in his arms.

She sighed.

"_Go back to sleep Natsume, I'm sure you're exhausted"_ she told him quietly. He was trying to keep himself awake but his body moved on its own and lay down on his bed. His eyes still closed and the phone pressed to his ear. There was a roll of lightning and thunder. He heard her gasp. His eyes shot open.

"Are you—" he tried to start but she cut him off immediately.

"_I-I'm fine, don't worry" _he heard her take a deep breath. He found himself doing the same. He heard a door shut close. _"Hotaru, just arrived."_ His worry washed away. He was relieved. At least Imai was there with her. He could go back to sleep, knowing that she'll be okay.

He pulled up the comforter over his body and relaxed. With his phone still pressed to his ear he heard her whispering. But she wasn't talking to him. Muffled voices. She covered the mouth piece with her hand. Though he could still make out what she was saying.

"_Hotaru I just need to wait for him to fall asleep" _he smiled at that. Selfless as always. He felt like a kid again, being watch over by his mom. But this was different, she was his girlfriend and he didn't have any problems with that. There was silence and he was starting to drift off to sleep.

4:04 am

Before Natsume could completely surrender to sleep; he heard Mikan's voice before everything blurred and his phone slid off of his grasp.

"_Natsume…"_

The thunderstorm grew wilder as the hours passed. The rain grew heavier; the wind was slashing though the window. The lightning flashed bright, thunderclaps roared louder than usual. The weather was as gloomy and scary as it can get. School was cancelled. Just as predicted.


End file.
